@article{e0e1dc8e3bb5447ba605048fc7b42746,
title = "Individual time preferences and obesity: A behavioral economics analysis using a quasi-hyperbolic discounting approach",
author = "Moslem Soofi and Sari, {Ali Akbari} and Satar Rezaei and Mohammad Hajizadeh and Farid Najafi",
note = "Funding Information: This project was conducted with the financial support of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (Grant No: 9321434002). The ethics committee of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran approved the study protocol (Ethical Approval No: IR.TUMS.VCR.REC.1396.2671). We are grateful to the individuals who willingly participated in this study. The authors thank the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences for helping the authors to conduct this study at the RaNCD cohort study center. The authors also would like to thank all the staff members of RaNCD cohort study center. Authors declare that they have no competing interests. Funding Information: We found that the long-run patience ( δ ) and time-inconsistent preferences ( β ), captured by a quasi-hyperbolic discounting model were important determinants of obesity. The probability of being obese was significantly associated with time-consistent patience and time-inconsistent preferences. Considering the time-inconsistency in designing behavioral policy interventions to address obesity may increase their success rate. Policies aimed to persuade individuals to use commitment devices might help them to overcome their self-control problem and present bias. Moreover, choice of architecture could be used to design environments where individuals are nudged to behave more rationally when making obesity-related decisions. This project was conducted with the financial support of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (Grant No: 9321434002). The ethics committee of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran approved the study protocol (Ethical Approval No: IR.TUMS.VCR.REC.1396.2671). We are grateful to the individuals who willingly participated in this study. The authors thank the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences for helping the authors to conduct this study at the RaNCD cohort study center. The authors also would like to thank all the staff members of RaNCD cohort study center. Authors declare that they have no competing interests. Table I Characteristics of the sample n Proportion (%)/Mean Obesity Obese 204 25.76 No obese 588 74.24 Time preferences Individual{\textquoteright}s patience High patience (patient) 453 57.20 Medium patience 115 14.52 Low patience (impatient) 224 28.28 Self-control Future bias 96 12.12 Exponential discounter (unbiased) 324 40.91 Present bias 372 46.97 Risk preferences Willingness to take risk 792 5.87 Sex Male 619 78.16 Female 173 21.84 Age group 35–44 484 61.11 45–54 257 32.45 55–65 51 6.44 Marital status Married 744 93.94 Single/divorced/widowed 48 6.06 Education Illiterate/primary 110 13.89 Secondary/high school 305 38.51 Post-secondary 377 47.60 Employment status Employed 368 46.46 Self-employed 361 45.58 Other 63 7.95 Wealth status Low 317 40.03 Middle 317 40.03 High 158 19.95 Table II Probit regression results Marginal effect SE p -value Time preferences Individual{\textquoteright}s patience High patience (patient) Ref. Medium patience 0.048 0.039 0.223 Low patience (impatient) 0.102 0.040 0.010 Self-control Future bias Ref. Exponential discounter (unbiased) 0.038 0.036 0.288 Present bias 0.111 0.032 0.026 Risk preferences Willingness to take risk 0.013 0.006 0.029 Sex Male −0.179 0.033 0.000 Female Ref. Age group 35–44 Ref. 45–54 0.017 0.031 0.586 55–65 −0.040 0.059 0.496 Marital status Married 0.193 0.071 0.006 Single/divorced/widowed Ref. Education Illiterate/primary Ref. Secondary/high school −0.084 0.040 0.037 Post-secondary −0.140 0.049 0.004 Employment status Employed −0.071 0.050 0.158 Self-employed −0.066 0.048 0.165 Other Ref. Wealth status Low Ref. Middle 0.059 0.030 0.049 High 0.109 0.047 0.022 Notes: n = 792. Ref., Reference category in the regression analysis. Log likelihood = −344.51889, Prob > χ 2 = 0.0000, Pseudo R 2 = 0.0898 Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited.",
year = "2020",
month = jan,
day = "14",
doi = "10.1108/IJSE-04-2019-0271",
language = "English",
volume = "47",
pages = "16--26",
journal = "International Journal of Social Economics",
issn = "0306-8293",
publisher = "Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.",
number = "1",
}
